Method of forming insoles for shoes



(No Model.)

B. MEISE.

METHOD 01-" FORMING INSOLES FOR SHOES.

No. 319,740. Patented June 9, 1885.

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a Fries.

EDUARD MEISE, OF IITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

METHOD OF FORMINQG INSOLES FOR SHOES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 319,740, dated June 9, 1885.

Application filed April 6, 1885. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDUARD MEIsE, of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Methods of Form ing Insoles of Shoes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to the covering of the insoles of shoes-such as cork soles and simi-- lar removable inner soles-its object being to cheapen and improve their manufacture. The only method in general use for securing the covers on the cork or other body of these insoles has been to paste the overlapping edges of the canvas or canton-flannel cover to the body, and, after drying, sewing the oilcloth cover and this canvas cover to the body at the same time, the canvas covering one face or side and lapping over the edges of the body onto the opposite face thereof, and the oil-cloth corresponding in shape and size to the body and covering the other face and hiding the edges of the canvas. The principal expense in this method of manufacture was the pasting and drying, this costing double the amount paid for sewing, and hav-; ing the further objection that the pasting stiffened the edges of the insole and prevented its fitting so neatly in the shoe. On account of the flexible character of the materials,however no way has been heretofore devised for sewing on the covers without stretching out of shape and wrinkling the canvas cover, and

no commercially perfect goods have been so made.

By my improved method of manufacture I have overcome the difficulties heretofore encountered in sewing on the covers and have produced commercially perfect insoles withinsolein sewing. holder to sew both the canvas or flannel and the oil-cloth covers to the body at the same time, I turn the overlapping edge of the canvas cover on top of the body and under the'oil-cloth cover and sew through both covers at the same time.

To enable others skilled in the art to practice the invention, I will describe the same more fully, referring to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detached view further illustrating the same, and Fig. .3 is an enlarged crosssection of the frame and insole therein. ,7

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in each. v

My invention is illustrated in connection with what is known as a Singer vibrating presser sewing-machine, this machine being specially adapted for sewing this class of work, though other suitable machines may of course be employed.

The body a of the insole is formed of cork, pasteboard, or similar material, and the cover b of canvas or canton-flannel, while the top cover, a, is generally formed of oil-cloth. The canvas cover 1) corresponds in shape to the body a, and is sufficiently large to form the overlapping edge b, which is turned over the edge of the body and overlaps onto the opposite face thereof, and the cover 0 corresponds substantially, both in size and shape, to the body. of the body a in any suitable manner which will hold it to place during the subsequent manufacture, the method of stretching shown being suitable for the purpose, the canvas cover I) being placed over the framed, the inner edge of which corresponds in shape and size to the body a, and the body a is thenpressed into the frame, the overlapping edges b of the canvas extending over. the body of the frame and the canvas being stretched over one face of the body, as shown. Extending around the base of the inner face of the frame (1 is the lip d, to support the insole and cover therein, and the inner face is preferably made The cover I) is stretched over one'face 4 dovetailed, its upper edge corresponding in size to the body of the insole, and said face then receding slightly, and as the body of the insole is slightly elastic, when it and the cover are pressed into the frame it is first compressed slightly and then expands into the dovetailed seat, and so stretches the cover more perfectly and holds within the frame. The part of the canvas cover 1) extending beyond the frame, forming the overlapping edge b, is then turned over upon the opposite face of the bodyand sewed thereto, the oil-cloth cover 0 being preferably sewed to the body at the same time. This overlapping edge can be easily turned over the upper face and sewed to the body when the cover is stretched over one face of the body and held firmly therewith without either wrinkling the canvas cover or its overlapping edge, though it is practically impossible to do so where the parts are held together by hand in the ordinary manner of sewing. In sewing on the cover a at the same time with the cover I), which is desirable for the reason that but one row of stitching isnecessary to unite all the parts of the insole, the overlapping edge b is turned over the body a and under the cover a, which lies on top, of the body, as shown, the edge being turned down upon the body by an overlapper formed of a thin platefitting between the two covers.

The apparatus employed by me'for practicing my invention makes the subject of another application of even date herewith, and will be described herewith sufficiently to give afull understanding of the manufacture of these insoles.

Secured to the bed-plate E of the sewing-machine by screws 6, in the ordinary manner of securing attachments,is the plate f,ha'ving the guide-roller 9 adjustable thereon, against which roller the outer edge of the frame d presses during the sewing of the insole, this roller extending out just back of the needlebar h.

Sliding in guides iin the plate'f is the overlapper l, the lip or knife Z of which extends out in front of the needle-bar h and the presserfoot or other feeding mechanism k, the lip Z passing over the frame (1 and turning the over lapping edge b of the canvas coverb over the body a in position to be caught by the presserfoot of the feeding mechanism, and holding it down during sewing. This overlapper has a reciprocating motion imparted to it in any suitable manner, the end of its lip Z drawing back off the body a of the sole, and then moving forward to fold or turn down the overlapping edge b,a reciprocating overlapper being preferably employed for the reason that the edge I) can be folded down in a direct line from the edge of the insole, and there is consequently no stretching or wrinkling of the said edge except at the ends,where it is necessarily folded on account of the surplus of material, though a stationary overlapper has been employed with good results. In the apparatus shown motion is imparted to the overlapper from the cam-wheel of the machine, a cam on said wheel pressing upon the lever m, pivoted at m, and this lever is connected to the lever n,pivoted to the plate f at n, the op i posite end of said lever n being connected to the elbow-lever p by the bar q,said lever p being pivoted to the platefat p, and its opposite end being connected to the reciproeating overlapper.

Connected to the arm 11 of the lever 12 and to the rear end of the plate f is the spring r, by means of which the overlapper is withdrawn, and through said lever mechanism the end of said lever m held against the, camwheel of the machine. When the cam on the cam-wheel presses out the lever m through the levers n and p and connecting-bar q, the overlapper is pressed forward, and as soon as the cam passes the spring r retracts the overlapper. The bar q hasa slot, 8, on one side fitting over the stud n on the lever n, and held in place by the spring 8', so that when it is desired to stop the movement of the overlapper and withdraw it the operator presses on the bar, disconnecting it from the stud n, and the spring 1- draws and holds back the overlapper until the bar q is again connected to thelever n.

In practicing my invention with the apparatus shown the operator places the canvas cover b over the frame (I, presses the body a into the frame d, so stretching the cover over one face and bending it up over the edges of the body, places the oil-cloth cover a on top of the body so as to coincide therewith, and feeds the frame and the said parts to the sewing machine. As he presses the frame d against the guide-roller g the lip or knife Z of the overlapper passes overthe frame and enters below the cover a, pressing down the overlapping edge 1/ of the cover b. As the sewing proceeds the overlapper turns over the edge I) and holds it down until grasped by the feeding mechanism k, and in its reciprocating movement continues this operation until the sewing is almost completed. As, however, the lip Z, extends under the cover a, when it approaches the point where the stitching was commenced the operator disconnects the bar g from the lever n, the spring 1' withdrawing the overlapper, so that the seam may be finished.

The operation is rapid and'the operators only care is to hold the top cover, 0, in the proper position with the body a.

The canvas cover b may be first sewed to the body a and the top cover, 0, afterward sewed thereto; but by folding the overlapping edge between the body a and top cover, a, I have rendered this unnecessary, the work obtained by the single stitching being commercially perfect. The stretching of the canvas cover on the body requires but little time, and consequently the cost of sewing is not increased over that of the old method of manufacture, the cost of pasting being ontirely saved. As all pasting is done away with, the edges of the finished insole are much more flexible and readily conform to the sole of the shoe.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The method herein described of covering insoles, consisting in stretching the canvas or like cover over the face of the body within a supporting-frame and turning over the overlapping edge of said cover on the opposite 5 face of the body and sewing it thereto.

2. The method herein described of covering insoles, consisting in stretching the canvas or like cover over one face of the body and while it is so stretched placing the top cover on the body, turning the overlapping edge of 10 the canvas cover between the body and the top cover, and sewing the parts together.

In testimony whereof I, the said EDUARD MEIsE, have hereunto set my hand.

' EDUARD MEISE. Witnesses:

JAMEs I. KAY, J. N. OooKE. 

